Or Something
by Meegzi
Summary: He thinks he probably will.


Title: Or Something  
Author: Meegzi (Meg)  
Rating: G   
Inspiration: For the Everwood100 Live Journal "Two People And A Picture" challenge. Supposed to be 100 words, but it got away from me.  
Disclaimer: Der. Honestly.  
Notes: Thanks go to everyone who read it and gave me thoughts, including: Pooh, Vlada, Syn, Jo, and especially Jenn, for the title and making me write it in the first place. Damn you. ;) You all rock - thanks for building my confidence.  
Feedback: Please?  
Summary: He thinks he probably will.  
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"Hey."  
  
He'd felt sick all day. Maybe not sick....uneasy? Apprehensive? Knowing this moment was coming.   
  
All day knowing.  
  
"Hey."  
  
Silence.  
  
His skin itched. It screamed and cried.   
  
He scratched at the back of his hand as his eyes scanned the hall. He randomly thought it might be nice to be a snake. To shed your old, dead skin and grow it back again.   
  
New.   
  
Become a new snake. Only not.  
  
"Look, we both want nothing to do with this project, so let's just get it over with, okay? As quickly as humanly possible."  
  
He looked at Ephram. His voice was tired. Drained. And...  
  
Irritated.  
  
"Whatever."  
  
Ephram's head moved forward, into his locker. And that's when he saw it. Surrounded by flyers and pictures with Japanese writing on them.   
  
And cartoons.   
  
Nestled among crumpled pieces of paper covered in bright, pointy characters and sharp, black symbols was the photograph.  
  
Worn and mangled. Cracked.  
  
It was dark. Night. But with phosphorescent light in the background.   
  
A kaleidoscopic of blazing color.  
  
And it was snowing. Confetti. All around.  
  
Streamers and shiny objects raining. Distorting the air.  
  
He was there.  
  
Ephram.  
  
In the middle of it all. In the center of this breathtaking chaos. With this brilliant smile across his face.   
  
In his eyes.   
  
He was looking at the camera, beaming, his mouth open. He was caught forever in the middle of saying something. Or yelling. Or...  
  
He was sparkling.  
  
Bright had never seen anyone sparkle before.  
  
He couldn't ever remember Ephram smiling, let alone sparkling.  
  
"Is that Times Square?"  
  
He hadn't realized he'd said the words out loud until the sound of Ephram's voice.  
  
"Yup. New Year's."  
  
Bright's eyes were fused to the image.   
  
"You look different."  
  
Ephram turned his head faintly toward the picture. Like he was checking for something.  
  
Like it wasn't taped in his locker with that weird comic book crap and he didn't see it every day.  
  
"Yeah, I think they call that a smile. Then again it's been a while, can't be too sure."  
  
There was an arm around Ephram's shoulder. Aggressive and insistent. Connected to another boy.   
  
Grasping.  
  
Like he was trying to pull Ephram into him.   
  
Black waves hung over his ears and down the back of his neck. Bright thought he might be wearing eyeliner.  
  
"So, is that guy, like, your best friend or something?"  
  
Silence.  
  
Ephram seemed paralyzed for a moment. His head down.  
  
Still.  
  
Bright wanted to take it back. Whatever he said. It was clearly wrong.  
  
But it was only a second.  
  
"I guess. He was."  
  
Ephram resumed filling his backpack. Bright returned his gaze to the picture. To the other boy.  
  
Bright's ears heard Ephram mumble. He thought it sounded like, "or something," but he was busy staring at the boy.  
  
Staring at Ephram.  
  
His head was turned, his profile strong. Laughing. Smile just as brilliant as Ephram's.   
  
He was captivated.  
  
Bright's stomach lurched. His mind flashed images across his eyes.  
  
He wasn't supposed to be reminded.  
  
"Why do you care anyway? What is this, "get to know the freak" day? Did I miss the memo?"  
  
Bright knocked emphatic hands away. Rejected enthusiastic lips.  
  
"No."  
  
Silence.  
  
Ephram watched.   
  
"No....I guess....I just guess I never really thought of you as being someone's best friend."  
  
Bright had never really thought of Ephram at all.  
  
He thinks he probably will.   
  
Now.  
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End. 


End file.
